The Cook
14 journalers for this copy...
Tall, thin Conrad arrives in town one day, seeking a position as chef in the home of a wealthy (and massively dysfunctional) local family. His culinary skills are tested and prove triumphant - magnificently so, pleasing everyone in the household. But Conrad's dishes don't just satisfy the palate, they create a certain dependency... and while the members of the family seem to be changing for the better due to Conrad's subtle influence, are the changes in their interests or in Conrad's?
The book is full of unexpected scenes, some funny, some bizarre, some profoundly disturbing. [I won't attempt to categorize the knife fight between Conrad and a rival cook in the town pub, but it's wonderful.] Is Conrad a devil incarnate or simply a master chef and psychologist? And what would you give for the most perfect meals that have ever been?
OK, enough - it's a great book, if you like 'em disturbing. There's a bit of a mystery about the author, too; the advance-copy that I have says that "Harry Kressing" is a pseudonym, but I've seen at least three different names given as the true author. On the Usenet, a research librarian claimed to have turned up "Hartmut Kress" in a database somewhere; another source says Kressing is really Harry Adam Ruber. Various booksellers that list the book include "sometimes attributed to Nicholas Freeling," and this one actually seems possible - Freeling wrote a number of mysteries (haven't read any so I can't compare the style) and I believe he was also a chef, or at least knew great cooking. But I have no idea which, if any, is the author's real identity.
Of course when BC came along I had to find yet another copy to release... This one's a moderately battered paperback, but is quite readable, and with care should stand a journey or two.
[Update, 9/2006: I just discovered that the film Something for Everyone was loosely based on this novel - though from the plot summary it appears that the "cook" aspect may have been dropped almost entirely. The film sounds interesting anyway, so I thought I'd add it to the book's history.]
*** (later) ***
He liked it, but doesn't want to get into BC, so this one needs a new home.
As per the Wishlist forum discussion, here's the reading order. When you get the book, please journal it so we know it's arrived, and then PM the next person on the list for their address so you're set to go when you've finished it. Thanks!
1. RealBookWorm (Canada)
2. Palomaranch (Texas)
3. greedyreader (NJ)
4. Red (Arlington Heights, Illinois)
5. MozzFan (Chicago)
6. mojosmom (Chicago)
7. Odin (Rantoul, Illinois) [*skipped - didn't respond to PM's*]
8. skcreader (Virginia)
9. bunzrun (Virginia)
Note re postage costs: the book's a small one, and in a lightweight envelope such as a small bubblewrap mailer it could be cheaper to send this by first class than by media mail (within the US, anyway), so it's worth asking the clerk to check both rates. FYI.
It was an unusual story to say the least, but an enjoyable one at the same time. At times you wish you could find someone like Conrad to cook your meals and at other times you're thinking you wouldn't want him at all!
I'll be sending this out to Palomaranch in Texas today. I hope she enjoys it at least as much as I did.
Later...
The Cook by Harry Kressing (published in 1965) is a culinary novel about a chef who comes to work for a family. Soon the entire family is involved in meal preparation and the dynamics within the home begin to change. Quite an intriguing read. There is one section where the family is ordering new china and crystal and they are so excited that I actually wanted to go shopping for new china myself!
The book will be mailed to Greedyreader in New Jersey as it continues on its bookring.
It's off to MozzFan today! Enjoy!
I think I'll finish it and then pass to mojosmom at the May meetup instead of mailing it 100 city blocks.
Anyhoo, the fact that I read this book just in time to watch Manor House on PBS made me enjoy it all the more. While our man could certainly be seen as a villain, I think that the social change he brought to the house was brilliant! At times I was rooting him on! But of course, then I would feel sad for the poor rich slobs because we never know if it was because of love or fear that they succumbed to Conrad's every whim.
Subtle, stylish, and absolutely ruthless! I loved it. I'm sure mojosmom will love it too - she'll just have to wait until Cheapy MacSkinflint here gives it to her at Mojoe's on Tuesday!
This has been loaned to my BIL, who is traveling in the US during May. He seems to be intrigued with the concept of BookCrossing. Don't know if he will join or not though.
April 19, 2005
The Cook has been sent on another trip.
The new ray consists of:
Lpree-(NB)-has the book now
dancing-dog-(TN)
tenneh-(NB)
1ce-Upon-A-Time-(CA)
Please check my bookshelf to see where I'm at in my reading.
I'm not sure who is next, so I'll contact bunzrun to find out.
Thanks very much to bunzrun for continuing the ray! I'm very glad I had the chance to read this!
Book is in kind of delicate shape - please handle carefully.
Not too bad a book but I really didn't like Conrad. Maybe because I've dealt with a manipulative person like that in real life! Still makes me mad to think about!!
Released 18 yrs ago (6/1/2005 UTC) at Via Mail in -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Nebraska USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
going to 1ce-Upon-A-Time
I loved the dark undertone of this story. Part of the mystery of Conrad's character is that even the reader is won over by him, though we can see just as well (more so, in fact) that he is not a nice guy. There is never anything to make us think, "ah, see! He's really not that bad, deep down." We get the message from the beginning, this fellow is trouble. And yet, I loved him. I wanted him to cook for me, and the consequences be damned.
This book carried a very pointed message about people and the ways they can be controlled by appealing to their vanity. There is a big foodie theme, around which the plot is built, but food is not the real focus. It is just a distraction, for us as well as for the Hill family. There are only minor descriptions of the actual food itself, though we are made to understand that all of Conrad's (and later on, Conrad's staff's) food is fantastic. When speaking of his favorite meal, Conrad's dialogue trails off, leaving the reader to imagine what it might be, and in several places, Conrad simply serves broth, or sweet rolls along with the privilege of basking in his presence and in his kitchen.
The compelling aspect of the story is in Conrad's manipulation of every person he comes into contact with. He makes subtle changes to their lives, and for the most part they are positive changes, well received. Each of them begins to feel better, happier, more alive when Conrad's magical food becomes part of their life. His power over them comes from his capacity to increase their pleasure at will, and their willingness to subject themselves to his every 'suggestion' in order to stay on the pleasure ride. Sounds like an addiction, right? Conrad would respond to this with a dark smile and a sweet roll, I suppose.